Cotton-picker.



B. JOHNSON.

COTTON'P ICKER.

APPLICATION Fl-LED APR 24. l9l6.

Pamea Feb. 13,1917.

6 suns-411521 1.

witnessesflx fink/1713 71, 11 111.11

Aftorneys B. JOHNSON. COTTON PICK ER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 24.19M-

Patent 3d Feb. 13,1917

i $HEET5-$HEET 2,

Attorne ys B. JOHNSON.

COTTON PICKEB. APPLICATION FILED APR. 24. 1916.

mm ed Feb. 13, 1917.

i SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J," J07? 50 7, Inventor Atto rneys Witnesses e ,Iul/L B. JOHNSON.

COTTON PICKER. APPLICATEON FILED APR. 24, IQIG.

Patented Feb. 13, 1917;

Witnesses B. JOHNSON.

GMTON PICKEHQ APPLICATION man APR. 24. was.

Patented Feb, 11?; 121 12.

SSHEY SiiF'V.

Qy h 9/1/ Inventor Witnesses Attorneys 8. JOHNSQN. canon PICKER. APPLICA'IION FILED APILZ. 191s.

Patented F61). 13, 1917.

6 HINTS-SHEET 6.

Witnesss Attorfneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Bruin JOHNSON, or mnrnn'srnxes.

common-mom.

p Application filed April 24,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it"known that I, BILLIE-JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Temple, in the county of Bell and State of- -Texas, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Picker, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for harvesting cotton, the same being more espe cially of that type utilizing picking needles designed to enter among the plants in a row aud tor engage the cotton fiber which is withdrawn from the plants by a reverse movement of the needles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of this character utilizi'ng opposed gangs or units of picking'needles having means whereby they are simultaneously rotated and, at regular intervals,

projected into the row of plants betweenthe units this projection taking place during the rotation of the needles.

A further object'is to provide means for retracting the rotating needles sons to withdraw the cottonfiber from the plants, such retraction resultin in the stripping of the cotton fiber from t e needles so that itwill with the result that the cotton delivered into the machine .will be in a clean condition and practically free of leaves, twigs and the like.

for reciprocating them.

A still further object is to provides. Ina- =chine oft-his character which'is driven by a motor, said motor operating also to drive i the needles about their longitudinal axes and A further object is to provide jmvei mechanism for reciprocating the needles.

. With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear .as the description biiiation and arrangement of parts and in proceeds,-tl1'e invention resides in the come the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it belng understood thatchanges in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed without hpecifieation of Letters latent.

' i-n needles.

mac ine- Patented. Feb. 13,1917. 1m. Serial n. 93,189.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the in ention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevitiou of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, a portion'of the structure being broken away.

F ig. 3 is an enlarged sec1 ion on line A-B Fig. 2. i I

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation, portions being broken away. i i

Fig. 5 is a section thr ugh the picking units and adjacent arts, said section being on the line C,D ig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vi :w partly in section and partly in elevation of two of the picking needles and portic us .of' their oper-,

ating means.

Fig. 7'is an elevation of one of the pick- Fig. 8 is," another elevation of the needle turned through ninety deg 'ees from the position shown in Fig. 7. H

Fig.- 9 isan elevation of 'ihe needle turned through ninety degrees f1 om the position shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view more 0" less in diagram of the cotton conveying fues and the cooperating parts. Fig. 11 is a section on lire E-F Fig. 2.

' Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the u pper main beams of the frame. of the machine secured to or merging into the end cross beams 2. Upstanding corner posts 3. are connected to the ends of the beams 1 and an end downwardly ,to and are secured upon tie free end por-,

time of lower side beams 4. No connection is provided between the on i portions of "the, opposed side *beams 4 and, consequently, an unobstructed 1 o ening is thus provided throughout the ength of tie frame for the rece tlon of'a row of plants straddled by the Connecting the 11 per and lower side beams 1 and 4 neart e front and rear n ds thereof are frame members 5. Stub shafts thereon are su'p 6 are extended laterally fro n the rear frame members '5 and journaled 106 7 porting wheels 7 to whlch are secured sprockets 8. Studs 9 are extended laterally from the-front, frame members 5 and con-- nected thereto by knuckles I Dare spindles 11 ,65 departing 'from thespiritof the invention. on which are journalbdthe front supporting wheels 12. These spindles are adapted to be actuated by any suitable steering mechanism shown generally at 13. I

Arranged above the beams 1 is a superstructure l and'arranged within the superstructure is a motor adapted to drive a longitudinal shaft 16 end, with a bevel gear 1 This gear meshes with a gear 18 secured to a transverse shaft 19 and gear 18, in turn, meshes with a gear 20 secured to a longitudinal shaft 21. Shaft 21 has a gear 22 meshing with a gear 23 secured to a. transverse shaft 24. and on this transverse shaft at its ends, are sprockets 25 which transmit motion throughchains 26 to the sprockets 8. It is to be understood that any suitable arrangement of clutches, not shown, may be provided for controlling the actuation of. the wheels 7 by motor 15.

A pulley 27 can be secured to the shaft 24 as shown.

Extending laterally from the main frame of the machine consisting of the beams .1 and 4 andthe connections therebetweem'a're side frames 28 which extend downwardly close to the ground. The side frames are provided with bearin s 29 in which are journaled vertical shafts 30 located within the side frames near the front and rear ends thereof respectively Each shaft 30 is provided, at its upper end, with a gear 31 meshing with a gear 32. These gears 32 have secured. thereto a shaft receiving motion through the gears Maud from the transverse shaftlf).

Each shaft 30 is provided with upper and lower cranks 3U, cams, eccentricsor the like which work within'the longitudinal slots 37 formed in upper and lower arms 38 extending forwardly and rearwardly from a cross head 39. These arms are mounted on transverse guides 40 supported by the side frames ings 41 and a gear *2 is arranged adjacent cachbea-ring andsecured to a tubn lar uide 43. These guldcs are allparallel' an extend through bearings 41, and inwardly Each of the guides 43 has longitudinal slots through bearings 4 supported by the inner sides of the side frames 28 and which inner sides have bee'n'indicated at 45 in Fig. 6.

T6 in opposite portions and those portions of the guides extending through and inwardly beyond the bearings/l4 are preferably reduced in diameter, thus to form tubular stripping fingers 47. Theflfree ends of thesefstripping fingers. are rounded, as

.shown at 48 and working within these free ends are needles 4:9. Each needle projects from a cylindrical slide 50- houscd in the provided, at its rear guide 43 and projecting from each slide are oppositely extending trunnions 51 which work within and project beyond the slots 46. The projecting portions of the trunnions are rovided with washers 52 which act as antl-friction rollers. These washers :work within annular channels 53 formed in head is re erably made vup of two opposed plates or castings joinedtogether by rivets or in anyother suitable manner, asshown particularly in'Fig..6. j

The outer or free end of each needle 4:9 is rounded .as shown at 54 and arranged spirally about the needle are elongated depressions 55 which gradually increase in depth away from the free end of the needle and terminate in overhanging shoulders 56 which are cut away diagonally to fornrt'ceth which are extended obliquely. to the plane of rotation of the tooth and also to the longitudinal axis of movement of the needle. In other words theteeth, which are contained within the bounds of the circumference of the needle are so shaped that they will wipe past. any material, fibrous or otherwise, with which they may contact while. rotating, unless, at the same time,

the needle is pressed outwardly away from the stripping finger in which event the points of the teeth will be buried into any fibrous material with which they may come cumference of the needle, it would. not en-' gage any fibrous material but would wipe past .it.

Any desirednumber of picking needles can be used and the needles at each side of the machine or, in other words, the needles constituting. each unit are preferably 'arranged in parallel vertical rows. The gears 42 ofthe needles'of each row are-constantly in mesh with the corresponding gears of the next adJolnmg row so that the gears are thus arranged in horizontal series as shown particularly in Fig. 1. A larger gear 57 is connected to and rotates with one of the gears +2 in each of the horizontal series and all of the gears 57 are in mesh with each other so that when oneof them is actuated,

motion will be transmitted, to all of the gears 42 of one unit- For the purpose of actuating the gears- 57 and 42, a sprocket 58 is secured to and ro- (31 arranged close to and under the shaft wand receives motion therefrom through sea 2. I

Secured along theiront and back portions oiench of the sup'portihg'walls 45 are inwardly projecting flanges 63 connected 5 along their inner vertica edges-by channel strips 64 conatitutin guides for endless 'Tliese'enj chainsarernounted on sprockets 66 to vertical shafts 67 and the two verticalshaftstfi'l near the 19 back end ofjthe machine are provided at -.-their uppcrends with gears (58 meshing with gears=69 secured to a transverse shaft 70. Asprocket 71 issecured to shaft '70 and re sprocket 73 secured the transverse The endless chains 65 are extended sub- =rstantially horizontally and move longitudinallywithin the ides 64 and thence along I thefouter sldes o -,the wallets, there being guides 17 4 on theoiitei' sides; of said walls and within which'the endless chains I work.

I 7 Plant engaging fingers 75 are extended hori- "the-PP d chains being adapted ;-to work close together asf shown particularly in g fwhich cotton is free to pass. Thus when the cotton will be heldin said casing by the screen while the air will be separated therefronrand will pass through the creen into flue T9 and thence into a fan casing 80. The outlet or exhaust flue 81 extends from this to'the cotton receiver 82 of the "separator this Q-flbeing located below a revoluble feeder 82" driven in any suitfable. manner. A flue 83 extends from the receiver-to oppositely extending fines 84, there being a valve 85 for directing the air andcotton from flue 83into either of the byanch flues 84, Each branch flue 84: has an upwardly extending portion opening downwardly into a hood 86 on which the open end ofa' sack is adapted to be fastened. The fan in the casing 80 is adapted to be driven by means-of a belt 87 which trans-- mits motion "from the pulley- 27 ton pulley 88 secured to the shaft 89 of the fan.

Il orwardly' extending lifting fingers 90 are provided at the inner sides of the front ends of the side frames 28, the inner pora tions of these lingers being inclined =oel'ves.motioli throiigh a chain 72 from a zontally from the chains 65, theyfingers on githe air carrying cotton enters the casing 78,

weirdly-and upwardly so that should they come a must any plants which have been beaten: own onto the gr aund, they willtend' to liftthein where they can be engaged by' the'finlgers on the endless chains 65. Gathering n ers 91 can also be arranged in vr tical seri'es along the inner portion of the 7 front of each side frame, these fingers being curved rearWardl-y and inwardly to points adj acent-the front shaft; 67 so as to constitute means for deflecting the plants laterally into the plant receiving passage formed between the opposed ch mine 65 and their guides 64. y r

As has heretofore been pointed out, the herein fdescribed'machii ie is adapted to be driven forward under it s own power and at any predetermined speed. desired. The gears ing is so. proportioned th at the inwardly projecting fingers 75 wii move rearwardly along the guides 64 at the same speed that the I machine is 'moving forwardly. Thus any standing plants engaged by the fingers 75 will be held in upstan ding positions while the machine is passing along the row and will not be pulled. forwardly and downwardly as would otherwise be the case. The lifting fingers and the'gathering fingers 91 will press the'side portions ofthe plants inwardly so that the maid plants Wlll. be tightly compressed and directed in this condition between the guidl is 64. where'they are engaged by the'fing'ers (5. -As the machine is passin along the row of plants, the vertical sha t '30 will be rotated, thus causing lateral reciprocation of the heads 39, such reciprocation causing t] 1e needles 49 to reciprocate in the space between the opposed walls 45. It will-be not ad by referring par ticula'rly to Fig. 3 that the needles are disposed in staggered relation, there being a long needle opposite a short needle and a longneedleinterposed be tween two shortnesdles. During the reciprocation of the needles, at which time ,thl :y are thrust transversely into the compressed plants, said needles'are rotated by me we of the gears 42 and 57, hereinbefore described. During the thrusting of the needles into the plants while said needles are rotatir g, the teeth 56 wi 5 5 engage any of the expo :edjicotton fiber wi which the can come into contact and w'} =Y .causethe her to be wr. up d about the neeij 1 dies and pulled from tl re his. A During the retraction'of the-needles into their guides 43.,

the air will flow through screen 78 and the line 7 9 into the fan casng'SO while the cot- I ton will drop into and out the feeder 82 and be shifted intothe receiver 82 where it will be met by the air exhausted from the casing 80-and will driven through flue 83 into one or the-otherof the branch flues 84. By thus separating'the in the separator 78, the cotton isprevented rom passing through the fan casing and being torn up by the rotating fan. The direction of movement of cotton can becontrolled by the valve 85. Forexample, a sack can be suspendedzfrom one ofthe hoods 86 and cotton directed into said sack while the air will be cut out ofcommunication with the I plants 11 u t,

cotton to wrap or'twist as -ta -.t with the end of the ra'ngemel'lt of parts,

other hood 86 while a filled'sackis being removed therefrom and a new one substituted.-

As soon as one sack is filled the valve can be shifted to direct the air and cotton through the otherbranch flue and into the empty sack and during the filling of this last sack .a new sack can hood 86.: Thus no time will be lost in-the sacking of the cotton assacks can betplaced alternately upon the two hoods and the'cotton di-rected'toward one hood orthe other as des red.

By having the needles of different lengths, they will not all come together along the vertical cente'r of the row of compressed instead, .they will project to different distances into the rowfthus avoidin'g any danger of" missing some of the opened cotton bolls.

- Although means has beeushown and. de scribed 'i'or simultan'eously actuatingv the picking needles by means of the cranks 36 or the like, it is to be understood that no iuvemion )volild be necessary to. arrangethe picking needles in units so that the several units would-be projected into" the row of cotton plants atrlilferent times instead of simultaneously.

The truuni'onsfil obviously cause the picking needles 49 and the tubular guide 43 to travel together. .I i J'ca'sou of this arwhen the ncking needle 4!) is returning into the tubular guide 43 any cotton adhering to the needle will be stripped therefrom. i As the "parts are constantly rotating during this action of the picking needle there is no tendency for the it comes into conguide Thus when the cotton)isdroppcd from the needle it, will ,beiu the same condition as when picked from the bur and not twisted. The rapidrotation of the picking needles and their guides results inthr-owingofl' trash such as leaves, burs, etc., leaving thecotton within the guides clean;

'llat-is claimed- 1s 1. A maclmie for-harvesting cotton including o )poscd cotton receivers, having open 1 inner .\'-lLl(H,- J"l-llll(.s extending across said open nner sides, endless means traveling and having portlons e'x' air from the cotton with-- opening,

be placed upon the other mg, a plurality of revoluble ing the rotation positions during the a stripping cotton from the picklng devices while in the receivers, means at the bottom of each receiver for receiving the picked cotton, and means for removing the cotton from said receiving means.

' 2. A machine for harvesting cotton including a portable structure having an opening therethrough for the reception of plants in a row, heads mounted for trans verse reciprocation at opposite sides of the a plurality of revoluble guides at each side of the opening and slidably engaged by the heads, needles revoluble with the guides, means for transmitting motion from the heads to the needles whereby the heads and needles reciprocate together.

A machine for harvesting cotton including a portable structure having an open in theretln-ough for the reception of plants inn row, heads mounted for transverse reciprocatiou at opposite sides of the open guides at each side of the opening and slidably engaged by the heads, needles revoluble with the guides, means for transmitting motion from the heads to the ner'ailes'whereby the, heads and. needles reciprocate together, the corresponding needles at the "two sides of the opeuingbeing in substantially horizontal alinement, the alining needlesbeing of different lengths. I

'4. In a machine for harvesting cotton, a portable structure, tran'sr'erse guides there. in, there being a longitudinal opening within said structure for the reception of plants in a row, a plurality of tubular guides at eachv side of the opening, means for rotating. all of the guides simultaneously, needles mounted for reciprocation within the respecti\ c".re\'ol'uble guides,v a head slid ably ll'lOllIlttEtLOll all of the guides at each motion from the heads to the needles durof 'the I guides, lol'rgitudinally slotted arms extendmg from each of the heads, and shafts needles and their lie . side of the o1.)ening, means'fortransmitting mounted for-rotation and" having cranks Working within operating with the heads toward and from each other during the rotation ofthe needles and theirguidest 5. In a machine for harvesting'cotton, the. combination with a the reception of pl each side of the openin gitudinally and verticafiy thereof,-of' mea'ns working transversely of the, recei" theopcning for picking cdtton "a and extending 1on cha rging it into the receiver, separate Lick;

the slots, 'said cranks co-.

arms to reciprocate the v 'portable'structure have; mg an opening therethrough for ants in a row, and a receiver ating hoods, and means for directing the cotwithin each guide, projections on the needle oluble tubular g ton from the receiver into either of said hoods.

6. In a; machine for harvesting cotton, in

picking unit including a plurality of-revolu- -ble tubular guides, and guides being slotted longitudinally, a, needle slidably mounted within each guide, projections on the needle and extending through the $10; in itsguide,

a. head engaging the projections on all of the needles of said unit and mounted for reciprocation upon the revoluble guides.

7. In a, machine for harvesting cotton, a picking unit including a plurality of revo1u-- ble tubular Iguides, said guides being slotted longitudina a needle slidebly mounted and extending through the slot in its guide,

it head enggiging'theprojections on all ofthe needles oj'suid unit and mounted for reciprocation upon the revoluble guides, said in its guide, a head engaging the projec-' tions on ullof the needles of said unit and mounted forreoiprocetiqn upon the revoluble -guides, arms extendlng from the head and having longitudinal slots therein, revo-- luble she-its ad aeent the ends of the head, I

end cranks carried by the shafts and work. ing within the arms to reciprocate the head upon the guides.

9. In a cotton hnrv esting machine, the combination with a tubular guide mounted for rotation and having a longitudinalslot,

a, slide within the guide, a promotion on the slideand working wilhin the slot, means mounted for reeiprocat .on on the guideand movebly engaged hy'tl 1e projection for reoiprocating the slide, and a, needle projecting from the slide and beyond one end of the guide.

10. In a cotton harvester, the combination Witheportable stru'ctu: 'e having sin-opening thei'ethrough for the reeeption of plants in a row, and.meuns forcc mpressing the plants Within said op'enmg, of means movable, relative to the structure fol engaging the plants and maintaining them in upright positions during the passage of the structure thereover, oppositely disposzd g ngs of needles,

means for simultaneously reoiprocutinggthe needles toward and from each other to en-' tel" and withdrew from the mnwresseil plmits, the needles of each gang being in horizontal 'ulinelnent with the col-res 0nding needles ofthe oppo ;ed gang, the u i'ning needles being of difi'ero [it lengths.-

In testimony. that I 0 mm the foregoing as in the presence of t vo witnesses;

' 'ILLIE JOHNSON.

my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature Witnesses: i

.R. L. DooKU'M,

J, B. Drnss. 

